Hunger Games: The Stone family, tribute of the 28th Hunger Games
by Seryna RPC
Summary: This is the background of Crystal and Obsidean Stone, the district two volunteer of the 28TH Hunger Games
1. Chapter 1

Three days before the 26th Games

"We all remember Zan," Grandfather smiled warmly, lifting his glass of wine.

The extended family was gathered at the great table - Mother, Father and her older brother Obsidian sat to her left. Mother's sister, Aunt Drusilla and her husband Hector sat beside Mother. Drusilla's twelve year old twin daughters Cordelia and Caelia sat like matching angels, glistening blonde braids and shimmery silver dresses.

Father's sister Aunt Augusta sat beside her solemn pillar of propriety, Uncle Julius. Sitting across from Crystal herself was her favorite person of all, Eleanore Rose. 'Nell' had turned fourteen this summer, although she was the same height as the twins. Her corn silk hair was left down, long and flowing down her back. Nell was quietly sorting the peas and carrots on her plate, eating one before the other. Her movements were precise and quick, never meeting Grandfather's eye.

To Crystal, she was a delicate flower to be sheltered in an oncoming storm. To Nell's parents, she was a bitter regret. She was supposed to be a Volunteer, but a slim and shy girl without any ego was a poor showing. Nell was often subjected to 'lessons' to help her become stronger, but nothing seemed to work. Crystal sensed that the lessons happening less frequently of late meant that Nell would soon be let off the hook.

"- he represented our family with honor. Stone - " A nod to his son and daughter. " - shone brightly in the arena. With a little more luck, he would have become victor."

"With a little less help to the mongrels." Aunt Augusta sniffed.

"The Family has been presented with an idea." Grandfather continued, giving Augusta a stern look.

"Obsidian?"

All eyes swung to Obsidian, except for Nell. She glances behind her, at the young serving girl bringing dessert. Crystal kicked her under the table.

Careful. Crystal warned with her eyes, nodding to Obsidian.

"Thank you, Grandfather." Obsidian stood. Crystal sat forward, surprised. Standing was reserved for receiving punishment or high praise or... Crystal's eyes widened.

"I want to Volunteer as tribute." Obsidian stated solemnly, his chest puffed out like a fluffy game bird in the Games. The family broke into smiles and Crystal realized that this was all expected. It was to be his year.

Crystal, Caelia, Cordelia and Ellenore were excused from the table, told meaningfully to go and train. The twins immediately went to the gym, dutiful and dull. Crystal lingered with Nell, who immediately walked to Crystal's room.

Crystal's room was dominated by three pieces of furniture - the bed, the book case and the hanging bar that she practiced chin ups on. Nell immediately plucked a book from the shelf, reading the spine.

"You won't like it." Crystal warned. "Business psychology. Very boring."  
"Why do you like it?"  
"I don't. Father gave it to me. I am to learn business strategy for my profession."

Nell returned the book, snorting.  
"They haven't figured out that I'm to need a profession, too." Crystal touched the girl gently.

"They will. Zan was a tribute. Obsidian will be a victor. He'll raise other victors and we'll enjoy our 'rise to the top'." Crystal intoned to make Nell laugh. "And then we'll be free to read whatever we want."


	2. Chapter 2

The week after the 27th Hunger Games

Crystal Stone grunted as her feet hit the ground. She rockets forward, ducking around a business. She and Nell are racing around the square, red faced and sweating. Obsidian stands by the road to home, holding a stop watch.

"Three fifteen, Crystal." He says approvingly. "Nell, you're closer to four. You have to try."

"She is, 'Dean." Crystal protested. "Leave her alone. You know she's not the volunteer."

"You have to try harder, Crystal." Dean frowned, upset. "You're thinking of Nell out there. In a couple of months you're going to be chasing natural born killers."

"I'm going to be chasing Seven and Nine." Crystal snorted. "And only one of them was ever very fast.."  
"Psyche and Isaac were." Dean reminded her, unswayed.

"They didn't have that killer edge." Nell said quietly. "They followed Olivia like puppies."

"Hardly a Colton." Dean agreed. "But you can't get complacent, Crystal. You're not the best of the best in that Arena. All of them are out to kill you. "  
Crystal wasn't paying attention. From the corner of her eye she saw Dalton - the very embodiment of the perfect eighteen year old man - strolling by with Talia. That weasel was wearing a velvet stole - in this heat! The conniving little-

"Crystal!"

"I get it, Dad." Crystal rolled her eyes.  
"Damnit." Dean half turned, scanning the square.

"That peacock?"  
"Shut up. He'll hear you." Nell admonished.

"I don't care if he does. Someone with lats like that should have volunteered last year. The way he's making eyes at her, he's thinking of making little volunteers; not about district pride-"

"Dean!" Crystal wailed. "You're ruining everything.."

"You're ruining a training day." He countered. "I'm sorry, Crystal. I know I should have been the one-"

Oh no. Crystal hurriedly said. "No. I asked Grandfather."  
"Because of this." He jabbed at his foot. In sandals, you could still see where the bones didn't line up quite right. He hadn't tolerated the cast well and the bones hadn't knitted the way that they ought to. Two days before the Games was no day to break a foot. Yet that was Dean's luck.

"You would have been the best." Crystal said quietly.  
"Like Zan was. I know I'm not as strong-"

"Shut up." Dean grabbed her by both shoulders and shook her roughly. Her teeth rattled with the force.

"You give up on yourself and you die. No one out there is going to have your back. They're prancing around like peacocks, going on about honor and duels and putting coins on people's eyes like they are playing at being little priests. You stab the most dangerous person in their dominant hand."

Dean drilled in.  
"- and then-?"

"Recruit the second most dangerous to watch my back. But I'm not stabbing." Crystal said quietly. "I'm cutting. I'll make Felix and Sassinak look like the lucky ones."

"That's my girl." Dean kissed her forehead, not caring that the other people in the square saw. His love for his sister was boundless.

"We're training with two handed swords until five." Dean said to Nell. "Be sure to meet us back here."  
"Two handed swords." Nell memorized quietly, moving off to the library.

Crystal favored her brother with a smile. "You do love her."  
"Of course I do. But if Uncle sees her looking soft, he'll do worse to her. We have to have her do some of it with us to look fit."

"Thank you."  
He tugged on her braid, smiling. "You won't be thanking me. Now you get all of my attention - and even with my bum foot, I run circles around you with a sword... "  
(Later in the Training Room)

"Ready, Stone?"  
"Ready, Stone."

"Crystal Stone, victor of the Twenty Eighth Hunger Games." He smiles to the sky before lashing at her. He purposely deceived her with his expressions, trying to make her watch his body for cues.

"My first born will be the next Stone victor. I know he or she would beat the pants off your firstborn - you were like a butterball!"  
"I was three!" Crystal laughed. "And you kept giving me cookies!"  
"And you ate them, stupid." Dean laughed.  
"No more cookies until the Capital!"

"You suck so much."  
"I love you too."  
"You should volunteer. We'd be unstoppable."  
"Until the end, sugar plum. There's no guarantee on the two victors." He lashed at her with a sword and she hopped away.

"I can't trust any one like I can you."  
"So trust no one. You'll stab them all eventually."

"But I have to sleep. And I can't be Diadem."  
"She's a great victor."

Steel rang against steel.  
"I can't kill someone whose sleeping. I have to face Nell."  
"Nell would be heart broken if you die. You will do everything to come back to her. You will kick someone in the family jewels. You will poison the water supply. You will take their world."

"I will be a monster." The sword lowered to the ground. A fist smashed into her face, then a sword clanged into her armor. Hard. Twice.

Dean was hardest on her when he was angry and she could see his eyes burning.  
"Damn it, you are a Stone. Damn what the bleeding hearts say. frell the 'natural alliance'. You ally with the strong and destroy the weak. You want to end the alliance with honor - do it, if you can. But if its you or them, destroy them. Stones don't cry."

"Stones don't cry."

The practice went on for another grueling couple of minutes.  
"But... I'll be all alone. I can't be one of the ones who lose their minds. I need sleep. I need a friend."  
"Never a friend, just someone whose not in a hovercraft yet."

"I can't live like that. I can kill at the Bath. I can hunt them down. But I need someone to talk to. Someone to trust."  
"Trust gets someone putting coins on your eyes."

"You really hate four, huh."  
"Ally with a warrior priest who kills three people - on the last day- and I'll sheep sheet your bed."  
"If they're the strongest, I'll ally with them. And I can't just take the strongest."

"Thats the plan."  
"Thats the plan Grandfather and Father made for you." Crystal snorted.  
"The six foot three Hercules of human health. I'm five nine. I'm a girl. I'll be stronger than some of the girls, but there could be one stronger than me. I need to consider a different strategy."

"Lets hear it, then."

"I need someone who can hunt or find shelter. I plan on taking the Horn, but I won't take stupid risks for a pile of food. If I take on someone with survival skills-"

"They likely won't be strong in other areas. They could expose you."

"No, because I'll defend them in fights. I'll share all that I have evenly. Then if the arena turns - like most do - my ally can help us survive."

"Risky. Stabbing them is better. Sponsor money gives you food."  
"Will a sponsor wake me up for a tidal wave? "  
"Kill them all before theres a Tidal Wave."

Crystal laughed at his outrageous statement.  
"You're impossible."  
"You're making holes in a solid strategy. The dead can't hurt you."  
"The living can. I have two arms. If I'm too much of a bitca, they'll band against me. I need to make my own plan, Dean. I love you and Father and the Family. But the Family isn't going in the Arena with me. I'm the one going in."

"Just bring back that victors crown."  
"You know it."  
"Stone before all."


End file.
